Listen to your heart
by Kinkostfur
Summary: The one evening, one party, and the one song. And two people in the crowded room, too many and not enough words passed between them.


**Short one I couldn't get out of my head. Just so you know, I hate song-fics, but I needed to make this one. I think I just want to marry Ulfric in-game too much. Sorry for people who waited for another chapter of my self-insert fic. I'm really, really sorry. Also, this wasn't beta-read, so let me know of any mistakes you notice.**

**Actually, it wasn't what I intended to write, and the Ulfric was to make a short speech to the crowds at the end and name her his soon to be Queen, but I decided it was better this way, but I still might re-write this someday.**

**Also, sorry if its stupid, Mary-Suish, or just plain bad. Just... sorry.**

**The song "Listen to your heat" belongs to Roxette and D.H.T. (and that fic was written with the second version), and Skyrim belongs to wonderful Bethesda.**

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><p>The stone hall was full of happy, drinking people. It was the eve of their true victory, after all. Mere hours ago their leader, Ulfric Stormcloack, was choosen to be a High King of Skyrim, and the lands were declared free of the Imperial domination. Yes, that was the time of happiness. The legendary Dragonborn, however, couldn't find her place in the loud celebration. If her presence in the room wasn't as essential as the new monarch, she woud have already slipped out to the peace and quiet of her own chamber. She had much to thing through.<p>

"Inger!" she heard her name called from the other side of the big, wooden table.

"Ralof." she acknowledged another Nord with a nod. She had been sure the man would just forget her, pretty blonde girl sitting on his lap, and was surprised to see both him and his lass stumbling towards her, laughing.

"Sing something for us, Inger!" he requested, resting his arms on the tabletop near to her "It's a shame that the Dragonborn is sitting forgotten on the celebration like this!"

She forced herself not to sigh. She didn't want to spoil their fun, but it was hard to enjoy festivites reminding her so much of the burden of responsibility that weighted heavily on her arms. They called her the Dovahkiin, the dragon killer, and the war hero, but that was not what she really was, not who she wanted to be. That's why she had rejected... No, she didn't want to think about this, not now.

"Sing for us." the blonde that was leaning on her good friend asked as well, looking at her with slightly hazed blue eyes.

"Alright." Inger heard herself agree, in spite of herself.

The whole hall went quiet - well, as quiet as the place full of drunken warriors could - in the matter of moments when she get up and walked to the minstrel playing some curtly song in the corner, and took the man's lute in her hands.

She wondered briefly which song she should use, and then remembered the one she surely couldn't - didn't wanted to sing this evening. But then again... No, she couldn't possibly...?

"There was someone..." she stopped for a moment, looking for the right words. "...who asked me one question... one favor... this morning."

She wasn't sure she should continue. No, she knew she shouldn't continue.

"To tell the truth, we had quite the argument." she laughed awkwardly, listening to murmur of whispers, passing her words to the farthest corners of the hall.

"But after that" she continued, trying to ignore attention she'd gained "one person came and quite fervently explained to me... how much of the mistake I made."

She hung her head, feeling her cheeks burn and started to plunk the stings of the worn-out instrument. Actually Lydia gave her quite a lecture, loosing her cool maybe the third time since Inger met her, screaming at her how stupid she was to refuse such a honor, then gave up on her thane's sanity and just shrugged, saying that one thing that continued to haunt her since then.

"And she said... M-maybe that shoudn't be a love song, even if it reminded me of it, but she said..." she could feel her voice falling as she half-whispered, half-sang.

"_Listen to your heart._"

She had tears in her eyes that she didn't want anyone to see. She felt somehow defeated, by Lydia, by herself, by... him.

She continued to sing with a full voice, trying to ignore the words that were leaving her lips, but some were fitting, oh so fitting...

"_Your little piece of heaven turns too dark._" yes, she could remember her housecarl calling her a coward, saying that the innocence of youth, and the freedom she used to have will never be returned to her, no matter how much she tried. That she could run away no more, hurting both herself and others.

"_Listen to your heart_ _when he's calling for you_." she continued, trying to keep her voice steady. Had she listened this morning, that whole godsdamned war? These all little signs, all suggestions - all get lost in the fight for the cause that didn't seem to have that much importance anymore.

"_I don't know where you're going_ _and I don't know why_" Yes... she didn't knew that herself. What was she going to do with herself, now that everything had ended, anyway?

"_But listen to your heart __before you tell him goodbye._" she closed her eyes, feeling the first tear falling. She was ready to pack her things and go, this morning. To run away from him... and from herself. Wishing that all that was weighting her down had just disappeared with the victory in this war.

"_Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile.  
>The precious moments are all lost in the tide.<br>They're swept away and nothing is what is seems,  
>the feeling of belonging to your dreams. <em>"

She wondered, indeed. If he was what he seemed, if he was telling the truth, and she felt her faith in him wavering not once or twice. And yet she stayed by his side... and she wanted to leave him now, when he still needed her assistance. She was a selfish child, she knew this, but... Lydia was right. She was hurting both herself and the others, and she needed to decide.

The chorus came again, and as she sang she found out that the words she uttered were fit not only to her and her selfish indecision.

"_I don't know where you're going_ _and I don't know why_" she let out once again, as she had to acknowledge that this statement matched also her feelings for the man. She didn't knew what were his intentions and she didn't care. No matter what she told herself to feel better, she would follow him to the ends of the world and even if she would question his motives, she just couldn't help believing in him.

"_And there are voices_  
><em>that want to be heard.<em>  
><em>So much to mention<em>  
><em>but you can't find the words<em>."

That also was true. There vere people complaining, cursing him for his deeds, and she knew too much of him to trust him completely, as well. And she wanted to tell him everything that was on her mind, not only about the important things. About how she was relieved by lifting the curse of lycanthropy, that fear that Thalmor will want to press their revenge on them, how bothered she was when she overheard people cursing his name...

Her shuddering fingers continued to pluck the strings as she made her decision. If he only asked her again...

She could hear people whispering as she saw him standing up from his seat and making his way towards her. She continued her song, her eyes low, untill there was nothing more to sing. She could feel his gaze on her, expecting, burning.

"I'm sorry." she muttered, loud enough for him to hear.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Inger." his soft voice forced her to look up and get lost in his icy eyes. Cold in color, but the warm look he gave her made her heart melt.

"So I gather you reconsidered my proposal?" he moved closer to her, so close that she coul feel warmth emanating from him.

She took his outstretched hand and nodder slowly, unsure if the answer she was giving was the right one.

"Yes, I did. And..." she could feel her voice waver "...and my answer is yes."

In the blink of an eye she was crushed in his bear-like embrace, in the sight of a whole Skyrim court and mass of soldiers. Not like she cared anymore. It just felt so good, so right. Even when he pulled away to announce the news to the crowds, she could still feel that comforting sensation deep in her bones.

It felt like coming home.


End file.
